Pike Tax Hike Hearings

The Pike County Commissioners held two public hearings Wednesday to allow input on a proposed increase in the tax millage rate of .118 mills.

At the morning hearing, businessman Howard Rawlings urged the board to cut another 10% from the budget to avoid a tax hike. Merritt Speir who volunteered to help prepare the budget with former county manager Tommy Burnsed, had a presentation and indicated they went through two rounds of budget cuts before they arrived at the current numbers. He and Burnsed have called it a bare bones budget.

At the night hearing commissioner Tommy Powers said, "We skin it back as far as we could and still survive next year. At Tuesday's regular meeting the commissioners were told there's only $9000 in the general fund, $10,000 in cash reserves, the fire fund has $118,000 and E-911 $73,000. The commissioners have approved a line of credit for $800,000 to cover county operations till the end of the year, a tax anticipation note.